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As I'm shooting on F&G-administered land this year, don't think I can do much bird preparation on site. I think even a pile of feathers would be frowned upon. What is acceptable to you in terms of storage of a whole duck? How long would you leave it before prepping? Put whole in a chilly bin? I'm in the north, so it'll be warm and wet, and complicated by the fact that I'm doing an overnighter.
As much as we like to clean up our ducks asap, the reality is with work, grandkids etc, we may not get the opportunity to do it until later in the day. Sometimes even the next day. So I make sure all my birds are hung, maximum of 2 per loop, and kept in the shade until Im ready. Never had any issues, but cooling them down, and then keeping them cool in the shade seems to work.
Take a 20 litre bucket with you and a large plastic bag that fits inside it and folds down over the outside. Pluck the birds into it....when its time to leave, pull the edges of the bag up and compress the feathers into a small parcel. Use the bucket on your trip in to carry decoy weights and cords etc or other items you need. Put the plucked birds into your chilli bin with a couple of frozen bottles of ice.
Very good Allgood!
I pluck out on island or if jump shooting as I walk along.really easy to do warm duck.if not doing immediately lay birds on backs if can't hang in shade.keep them seperated and do as soon as possible.if breasting them out.cut wings off carcass so it's obviously not a dumped whole bird in rubbish dump.otto/wheelie bins are great to pluck into.
And you get double the fun when truck empties it on windy day lol
I also shoot on a F&G balloted wetland. We hang the ducks inside the maimai, and take turns at plucking into rubbish bags, and take a spade and dig a big hole (nice sandy soil) to dispose of feathers and any breasted birds (we take the legs as well). We pick up any rubbish, including cases and any wads that come our way.
Here in Eastern F&G our limit is only 6 per day, so we usually have limits before breakfast on opening, so it is normally a quick pluck, breakfast, and off to chase roosters.